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FDI and spillovers in China: non-linearity and absorptive capacity

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  • Taotao Chen
  • Ari Kokko
  • Patrik Gustavsson Tingvall

Abstract

Using a fixed effect variance decomposition model we estimate SUR models to analyse FDI spillovers from contagion and spillovers from competition on local firms in China. While the former type of spillover mainly depends on the degree of foreign presence, the latter kind is related to how foreign and local firms interact. The main conclusion is that FDI has been beneficial for the Chinese economy but that spillovers are not evenly distributed across firms and industries. Spillovers from contagion tend to exhibit an inverse U-shaped pattern with respect to the degree of foreign presence at the industry level, whereas spillovers from competition are more linear. Industries with high absorptive capacity and/or high efficiency are the ones best equipped to take advantage of spillovers from foreign-owned firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Taotao Chen & Ari Kokko & Patrik Gustavsson Tingvall, 2011. "FDI and spillovers in China: non-linearity and absorptive capacity," Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 1-22.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:jocebs:v:9:y:2011:i:1:p:1-22
    DOI: 10.1080/14765284.2011.542882
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    Cited by:

    1. Mao, Zhenxing (Eddie) & Yang, Yang, 2016. "FDI spillovers in the Chinese hotel industry: The role of geographic regions, star-rating classifications, ownership types, and foreign capital origins," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 1-12.
    2. Ljungwall, Christer & Tingvall, Patrik Gustavsson, 2015. "Is China different? A meta-analysis of the growth-enhancing effect from R&D spending in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 272-278.
    3. Fu, Xiaolan & Buckley, Peter J. & Fu, Xiaoqing Maggie, 2020. "The Growth Impact of Chinese Direct Investment on Host Developing Countries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    4. Dieumerci Zumbu & Claude Sumata, 2020. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment and its Impact on Economic Performance in DRC [les Déterminants des Investissements Directs Étrangers et leur impact sur la Performance économique en RD Co," Post-Print hal-02426832, HAL.
    5. Monastiriotis, Vassilis, 2016. "Institutional proximity and the size and geography of FDI spillovers: do European firms generate more favourable productivity spillovers in the EU neighbourhood?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 66141, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Wang, Daili, 2013. "鼓励还是抑制?初探外商直接投资与新民营企业进入 [Foreign Direct Investment and the Entry of New Firms]," MPRA Paper 50984, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Vassilis Monastiriotis, 2016. "Institutional proximity and the size and geography of foreign direct investment spillovers: Do European firms generate more favourable productivity spillovers in the European Union neighbourhood?," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(4), pages 676-697, June.
    8. Smruti Ranjan Behera & Pami Dua & Bishwanath Goldar, 2012. "Foreign Direct Investment And Technology Spillover: Evidence Across Indian Manufacturing Industries," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 57(02), pages 1-23.
    9. Elisa Giuliani & Chiara Macchi, 2014. "Multinational corporations’ economic and human rights impacts on developing countries: a review and research agenda," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 38(2), pages 479-517.
    10. Moralles, Herick Fernando & Moreno, Rosina, 2020. "FDI productivity spillovers and absorptive capacity in Brazilian firms: A threshold regression analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 257-272.
    11. Hien T. N. Huynh & Phuong V. Nguyen & Hoa D. X. Trieu & Khoa T. Tran, 2021. "Productivity Spillover from FDI to Domestic Firms across Six Regions in Vietnam," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(1), pages 59-75, January.
    12. Ipsita Roy & Sourabh Bikas Paul, 2022. "Knowledge Spillovers and Productivity Growth: Role of Absorptive Capacity in the Indian Manufacturing Sector," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 233-257, June.
    13. Cheryl Xiaoning Long & Galina Hale & Hirotaka Miura, 2014. "Productivity Spillovers from FDI in the People's Republic of China: A Nuanced View," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 31(2), pages 77-108, September.
    14. Duong, Vu Hoang, 2020. "The threshold of absorptive capacity: The case of Vietnamese manufacturing firms," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 44-57.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    spillovers; China; FDI; fixed effect variance decomposition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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